- February 5, 2025
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Last June, the Pace Center for Girls Volusia-Flagler in Ormond Beach approached the Volusia County Council for help funding a new school. The request was tabled.
But on Tuesday, Feb. 4, a new funding request came before the County Council — $3 million, coming from Community Development Block Grant federal disaster recovery dollars — and this one was approved unanimously.
Maryam Ghyabi-White, a local transportation consultant who serves on the Pace Center for Girls Board of Trustees, said this is a "true spirit of community work."
"I am so grateful to the County Council and the Volusia County staff for them to come to the table and understand the intent," Ghyabi-White said.
Pace, which helps girls in Volusia and Flagler counties obtain education along with mental health support, life skills training, and career and college preparation, is currently located at 208 Central Ave. in Ormond Beach. The building formerly housed Rigby Elementary, Ormond's school for Black students, and is over 100 years old. It sustained significant damage during Hurricane Ian, relocating the school for eight months to the gymnasium at Nova Community Center.
The county reports that roof damage led to "extensive water-related destruction across multiple sections and floors, which would have required significant repairs and replacements of flooring, ceilings, fixtures, and structural components."
As the building is on the National Register of Historic Places, there's minimal work that could be done to update the building.
So Pace instead is looking to construct a new school in Ormond Beach, at 410 Clyde Morris Boulevard. The school is estimated to cost $6.2 million and span 12,000 square feet.
"Thank you all so incredibly much, not just for your decision today, but for your support of our organization and girls for 30 years, nearly," Pace Executive Director Sheila Jordan said to the County Council on Tuesday.
She introduced the council to a Pace Center graduate, who is now a freshman at Daytona State College.
Heather Lovejoy, director of Capital Projects for Pace, thanked the council for their support for the new school.
"We're just so excited to be able to move into a space were our program can be more resilient," she said.
Pace — which has received state dollars and funding from Flagler County, the city of Ormond Beach and the city of Daytona Beach — is matching the federal CDBG funds with $3.5 million. Ghyabi-White called the federal funding the "Deal of the Century."
"This is because that federal level, state and local government all came together," she said. "That is pretty amazing."
Th school is a project that makes her emotional, she said, as a cheerleader for Pace's mission to help girls in need achieve graduation.
"They need this attention to them, this intense counseling, and it changes their lives," Ghyabi-White said. "And therefore, our community will be better, one girl at a time."
Pace hopes to open its new school in 2026.
